Attorney for former Cape Coral city manager speaks out after firing

Days ago, the City of Cape Coral fired City Manager Rob Hernandez and, in his place, put Michael Ilczyszyn.

Last week, Hernandez sent a letter detailing that he felt discrimination occurred within the Cape Coral City Council.

For a week now, the mayor and members of city council have had Hernandez’s bombshell letter in their possession.

Hernandez accused a handful of city leaders of discriminatory practices toward LGBTQ and Black employees.

“He was terminated the very next day for not cause,” said Benjamin Yormak, who is representing Hernandez.

 “We were concerned when Mr. Hernandez was non-renewed and believed that there was discrimination and retaliation that he was the victim of at that point in time,” Yormak said.

Not surprisingly, Yormak believes in Hernandez, and he went to great lengths and, in great detail, mapped out the allegations in the letter, naming names.

Tormak said Hernandez first tried to solve their issues when Cape’s city council decided not to renew his contract.

He said all Hernandez asked for was for the council to obey the law.

“It’s always very problematic when some of the wrongdoing is coming at the very top of the food chain,” Yormak said.

Yormak added that when the wrongdoing is possibly being committed by elected officials, “your options are very difficult in trying to combat it.”

Yormak told WINK News Hernandez saw the wrongdoing for months but stayed quiet because he believed staying inside City Hall gave minority employees at least one high-ranking ally.

“He was a champion for equality within an organization that has had its challenges,” Yormak said.

The letter asks for a response from the city by Friday. Yormak said as of Wednesday, no one from the city has reached out. He says they plan to move forward with a lawsuit if they hear nothing from the city.